Mexico not pressing massive bribery charges due to election

Translated by El Profe for Borderland Beat from Animal Politico
                 
                    

The investigations into alleged acts of corruption of officials of the government of President Enrique Peña Nieto in the Odebrecht case have been hampered because it could affect the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), ahead of the elections on July 1, say three people interviewed by The New York Times.

According to what these three people told the newspaper, the millions of dollars in bribes from Odebrecht were paid to the officials who work for the company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), through accounts in tax havens to guarantee infrastructure contracts.

The contracts, payments of bribes and monetary transfers that were revealed by the Brazilian government and Mexican media on the case are corroborated with the files that are part of the investigation.

However, Mexican authorities did not extend the investigation to seek new contracts or payments that the Brazilian government may have overlooked, the three people who know the case told The New York Times.

The note published in The New York Times points out that, after resigning from the Attorney General's Office (PGR), Raul Cervantes, the ex director of the unit, said publicly that the investigation was concluded.

On the other hand, his successor, the acting attorney general, Alberto Elías Beltrán, has contradicted these declarations, when suggesting that the investigations continue, and therefore the PGR can not divulge details on the advance in the case.

No official has been accused of accepting bribes from Odebrecht, and the only sanction, so far, is an impediment to participate in public contracting with the company.

Although in reality, according to those interviewed by the newspaper, the investigations into the case were filed.

In addition, a review of the file, obtained by The New York Times, confirmed that, "on occasion, the PGR itself appeared to be delaying the proceedings."

One of the main targets of corruption in the Odebrecht case is the former director of Pemex, Emilio Lozoya, who according to three exejecutives of the company received bribes of at least 10 million dollars, in exchange for his support as a public official in Mexico for obtain public works contracts.
Lozoya has denied on several occasions the accusations made against him.

According to an investigation carried out by Fifth Element Lab, once Lozoya arrived at the general direction of Pemez, Odebrecht asked him for help to win contracts, and the positive response.
The same organization indicates that later, during 2013 and 2014, bribes continued to be transferred through offshore companies.

Currently, Emilio Lozoya is investigated for alleged electoral crimes, because he is accused of having received 3 million 140 thousand dollars from the Odebrecht company during the 2012 election, when he served as Coordinator of International Liaison in the presidential campaign of Enrique Peña.

Once Peña assumed the presidency, Lozoya was appointed director of Pemex, and, according to an informant quoted by Fifth Element Lab, since then received at least another 6 million dollars in bribes, in exchange for works in Tula, Hidalgo.

With information from The New York Times.